6of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESGeorge Springer, OF$12 million
Two-year, $24 million contract. One year of arbitration after that. Can become a free agent after 2020 season.
Photo: Karen Warren/Staff photographer

7of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESJose Altuve, 2B$9 million
Five-year, $151 million contract that kicks in before the 2020 season. Can't become a free agent until after 2024 season.Photo: Karen Warren/Staff photographer

10of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESGerrit Cole, RHP$6.75 million
One-year contract. Still has another year of arbitration left. Can't become a free agent until after the 2019 season.
Photo: Karen Warren/Staff photographer

13of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESRoberto Osuna, RHP$5.3 million
One-year, $5.3 million contract. Still has two years left of arbitration. Can't become a free agent until after the 2020 season.
Photo: Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle

14of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESMarwin Gonzalez, IF/OF$5.125 million
Final year of his contract. Currently a free agent.
Photo: Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

15of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESCollin McHugh, RHP$5 million
One-year contract. Still has one more year left of arbitration. Can become a free agent after the 2019 season.
Photo: Karen Warren/Staff photographer

19of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESLance McCullers, RHP$2.45 million
One-year contract. Still has three years left of arbitration. Can't become a free agent until after the 2021 season.
Photo: Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

20of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESBrad Peacock, RHP$2.44 million
One-year contract. Still has two more years of arbitration. Can become a free agent after the 2020 season.
Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer

21of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESAledmys Diaz, Utility$2 million
One-year contract. Not eligible for arbitration until after 2019 season. Not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season.
Photo: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

22of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESJake Marisnick, OF$1.9 million
One-year contract. Still has two years left of arbitration. Can become a free agent after the 2020 season.
Photo: Karen Warren, Staff photographer

23of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESRyan Pressly, RHP$1.6 million
One-year contract. Still has one year left of arbitration. Could become a free agent after the 2019 season.
Photo: Bob Levey/Getty Images

24of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESCarlos Correa, SS$1 million
One-year contract. Eligible for arbitration after this season. Not eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season.
Photo: Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

26of30HOUSTON ASTROS 2018 SALARIESAlex Bregman, 3B$599,000
One-year contract. Not eligible for arbitration until after the 2019 season. Not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season.
Photo: Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Altuve's .386 on-base percentage was tops among major league second basemen, and his .451 slugging percentage led all AL players at his position.

Altuve joins Craig Biggio (1989, 1994-95, 1997-98) as the only Astros to win five Silver Sluggers and the Cubs' Ryne Sandberg as the only second basemen to win five in a row since the award was conceived in 1980.

The Astros' Alex Bregman, whose 2018 campaign included 31 homers, 51 doubles, 103 RBIs and a .926 OPS, was an AL Silver Slugger candidate at third base, but the honor went to the Indians' Jose Ramirez.

Boston's J.D. Martinez, who hit 43 homers and led the majors with 130 RBIs, became the first player to win the award at two positions in one year. He was voted the winner at the AL's designated hitter spot as well as at one of the outfield spots. He had 569 official at-bats, 219 as an outfielder and 350 as a DH.

Employed by the Houston Chronicle since 1993, Steve Schaeffer is presently the Assistant Sports Editor and oversees Astros coverage. He has won numerous awards for his headline writing.

A native Oklahoman and University of Arkansas graduate, Steve had previous newspaper stints at the Houston Post and Tulsa World and for two years was the sports director for KBRS, a now-defunct radio station in Springdale, Ark.

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